Drill attachment for cleaning paint applicators



g- 12, 1969 c. F. GREATHOUSE 3,460,268

DRILL ATTACHMENT FOR CLEANING PAINT APPLICATORS Filed Nov. 17, 1966 ilnited States Patent 3,460,268 DRILL ATTACHMENT FOR CLEANING PAINT APPLICATORS Carl F. Greathouse, Eastlake, Ohio, assignor of twentyfour and one-half percent each to Samuel C. Nicholson, Willowick, Ohio, and French Greathouse, Point Marion,

Filed Nov. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 595,141 Int. Cl. A46h 17/06 US. CI. 34-58 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An attachment to hold a brush or a roller for rotation by a drill. A pair of parallel arms having openings are slidably secured on a bolt. A roller. is held by moving the arms close together wedging them inside the roller. The ends of the arms being tapered to promote the Wedging action. A brush is held by placing the arms on each side of a brush handle and bolts are passed through openings in the arms and in the handle.

This invention relates generally to cleaning devices for paint applicators, and more particularly to attachments for drills which will clean paint brushes and paint rollers or the like by centrifugal action.

There have been several prior art proposals for devices which will clean paint applicators by centrifugal action, but these devices all have certain deficiencies which have made them either expensive or diificult to use or greatly limit the range of brush sizes which they can accommodate. For example, there have been prior art proposals for devices which are hand-operated to impart a rotary motion to a brush. This necessarily entails a drive mechanism which is expensive, and requires operator energy to drive. The speeds that can be attained are also limited which limits the cleaning power. Certain devices have employed spring arrangements to secure the handles of the brushes being cleaned. These arrangements have limited the size of brushes which can be accommodated since they do not firmly and positively grip an appreciable range of handle sizes. Also these types of grips do not provide a sufficient gripping force at high rotational speeds. Other proposals have been for devices which secure the brush in a plane normal to the axis of rotation. This presents a difficult problem of balancing a brush and also requires an excessively large opening in the container in which the brush is being cleaned. These also are not adapted to clean paint rollers but only brushes. Other prior art proposals have suffered from other serious limitations, such as being adapted to clean only rollers and not brushes.

According to the present invention an attachment for a drill is provided which will support a paint brush along the axis of rotation of the drill so that paint brush may be rotated and cleaned by centrifugal action. The device is adjustable to accommodate a wide range of sizes of paint brushes and is adapted to engage a paint roller for cleaning. The device positively and firmly secures the handle of a brush which is being supported centering the brush on the axis of rotation and firmly gripping and holding the brush at the high rotational speeds of the drill. Also the device is configured to support and rotate a paint roller for cleaning.

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Still other advantages of the invention, and the invention itself, will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, which description is illustrated by the accompanying drawing and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the device of this invention showing a paint brush secured thereby for cleaning;

FIGURE 2. is a front elevational view of the device of this invention showing a paint roller broken outline secured thereto for cleaning;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the device of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the device of this invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a paint brush having holes drilled therein adapting it to be secured to the attachment.

Referring now to the drawing, the drill attachment of this invention includes a pair of fiat metal support members 10 and 12. The support members 10 and 12 each have a longitudinally extending arm section 14 provided with an elongated slot 16 and an aperture 18. The support members 10 and 12 also each have laterally extending upper sections 20 and 22 respectively, which are connected to the arms 10 and 12 by obliquely extending sections 24 and 26. A slot 28 is provided where the upper section 20 and the oblique section 24 of the support member 10 meet and the upper section 22 of the support member 12 has one end thereof reduced in width constituting a tongue 30 disposed to slidably engage in slot 28. The upper sections 20 and 22 are also each provided with elongate slots 32 and 34 respectively. When the two support members 10 and 12 are in assembled relationshi with the tongue 30 disposed in the slot 28 the arm members 14 are disposed in parallel relationship with the slots 16 being aligned with each other and the apertures 18 also being aligned with each other. The slots 32 and 34 are also in alignment with each other. The ends of the arms 14 also are preferably tapered or bevelled, as shown in the drawing, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

With the support members 10 and 12 assembled the tongue 30 is slidable in the slot 28 so that the distance between the arms 14 can be adjusted to accommodate paint brushes of various handle thicknesses and also paint rollers. A mounting and locking drive bolt 36 is provided which is adapted to extend through the slots 32 and 34 when the members 10 and 12 are assembled. The bolt 36 has an enlarged head 38 and a square shoulder portion 40 adjacent the head 38. The square shoulder 40 is disposed to reside in the slots 32 and 34 and prevent rotation of a bolt 36 in the slots thus providing a drive engagement between the bolt 36 and the assembled members 10 and 12. The bolt 36 is threaded from the shoulder 40 part way to the end with the end portion 42 thereof being free of threads and of a size which will fit into the chuck of a A" drill. A wing nut 44 is provided which is adapted to be threaded onto the threaded portion of the bolt 36 which, when tightened will prevent the bolt from sliding in the slots 32 and 34. Also, preferably an L- shaped :pointer member 46 is provided. The pointer member 46 has a square aperture 48 formed therein which is of size to engage the shoulder 40 of the bolt 36. Then,

thus mounted on the bolt 36 the pointer 46 will indicate the location of the bolt 36 with respect to the arms 14. This will allow the arms to be centered for the purpose of balancing the device during rotation as will be described presently.

In order to use the attachment for cleaning a paint brush, first a pair of holes are drilled in the paint brush, as shown in FIGURE 5, the holes being centered between the outer edges of the handle. The members are then assembled with the tongue 30 sliding in the slot 28. The paint brush to be cleaned having had the holes previously drilled is placed between the two legs 14 and the legs are pushed toward each other until they come in contact with the handle of the paint brush. The hole in the paint brush nearest the bristle end is aligned with the apertures 18 and a screw 50 is placed through the apertures 18 and the aligned hole in the brush and a wing-nut 52 tightened thereon. A second screw 54 is then inserted through the slots 16 and the other hole in the brush handle and a wing nut 56 threaded thereon.

To secure the fixture in a drill the pointer 46 is placed on the shoulder 40 of the bolt 36 pointing in a direction away from the threaded end of the bolt. The threaded end of the bolt is then inserted through the slots 32 and 34 until the shoulder 40 is in the slots 32 and 34 which will prevent rotation of the bolt 36 in the slots 32 and 34 and provide a drive engagement of the bolt with the members and 12. The bolt 36 is then moved in the slots until the pointer points to the center of the handle of the paint brush as shown in FIGURE 1. The wing nut 44 is then tightened, which will lock the bolt 36 in this position. The unthreaded portion 42 of the bolt 36 is then chucked into the chuck of the drill as shown in broken outline in FIGURE 1. The pointer 46 insures that the attachment with the brush is centered so that it will lie on the center or axis of rotation of the drill, which will serve to balance the brush during cleaning. When the bolt 36 is securely chucked in the drill the brush to be cleaned is then inserted in the container in which it is to be cleaned, and the drill energized. This will rapidly rotate the bolt 36 which in turn, because of its square head residing in the slots 32 and 34, will rotate the support members 10 and 12 rotating the brush and hence cleaning the bristles by centrifugal action. When the brush has been cleaned, the drill is turned off and the brush can be removed from the attachment and the attachment removed from the drill.

One of the outstanding advantages of this invention with respect to cleaning paint brushes is that it can be used for a very wide variety of sizes of handles, both as to handle thickness and handle length. The distance between the arms 14 can be adjusted to accommodate brushes from the very thinnest handle to the very thickest and the device will hold the handles of all of these sizes with equal security at the high rotational speed attained by the drill. Also, the provision of the elongated slots '16 allows the holes to be drilled in the brush handle in any desired distance apart provided they are at least as far apart as the distance from the apertures 18 to the ends of the slots 16. This type mounting also provides a positive secure hold on the brush retaining it in place at high speeds. This mounting prevents brush wobbling and keeps it positively positioned, thereby eliminating chatter or vibration which would be attendant to such high rotational speeds if a resilient or loose ty-pe mounting were used.

The attachment is also adapted to be used for cleaning paint rollers. The width of each of the legs 14 is selected so that it is just slightly smaller than the diameter of the interior bore of a paint roller. As was indicated previously, the ends of these legs are tapered which makes their insertion into the roller easier. To clean a paint roller, the support members 10 and 12 are assembled together with a tongue 30 in the slot 28, just as previously described, and the legs 14 are squeezed together until they are in abutting contact. In this position, the two legs are inserted into the central opening of a paint roller as shown in FIGURE 2. The drive bolt 36 is then inserted through the slots 32 and 34 just as previously described and the bolt is moved in the slots 32 and 34 until the pointer points along the plane of contact between the two legs 14. The wing-nut 44 is then tightened, and the unthreaded portion 42 of the bolt 36 is chucked into the chuck of a drill, just as previously described. The roller is then lowered into a container into which it is to be cleaned and the drill operated, just as previously described, until the roller is cleaned.The drill is then shut off, roller removed from the attachment and the attachment removed from the drill.

It is to be understood that if desired theattachment can be chucked into the drill-before the paint brush or paint roller-is secured thereto for cleaning. In this case the support members 10 .and 12 are assembled by inserting the tongue "28 in the slot 30 and then inserting the bolt 36 through the slots 32 and 34 with the wing-nut 44 being previously described. This method of assembling is particularly desirable when a roller is to be cleaned since the legs 14 are incontact leaving little room between the obliquely extending sections 24 and 26 to insert the screw 36 and pointer 46. Once the paint brush or roller has been secured to the legs the members 10 and 12, with the paint applicator secured thereto, are then adjusted so that the pointer points centrally between the legs 14 and the Wing-nut 44 then tightened to maintain this position.

One of the outstanding features of this invention is the great versatility of the attachment for use with all sizes of paint brushes and with paint rollers. The device is of simple construction and yet provides a positive, secure gripping of paint brush handles and paint rollers to permit high speed rotation thereof for excellent cleaning by attachment to a drill. The device is simple and easy to operate and can be used to clean the-paint applicators in a container having an opening just slightly wider than the width of the brush or roller. The high speed centrifugal action of the drill thoroughly cleans the paint applicator and finishes the cleaning very quickly. The device is immediately ready for use in any available quarter inch drill and does not require any operator supplied mode of power to cause it to rotate.

Having thus described my invention in an embodiment thereof, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit or scope of theinve'ntion as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An attachment for an electric drill for cleaning paint applicators including paint brushes comprising, chuck engaging means adapted to be engaged and rotated by the chuck of an electric drill, a pair of applicator engaging arms, means mounting said arms on said chuck engaging means for slidable movement toward and away from each other in substantial parallel relationship to thereby adjust the distance between said arms, and means to secure a handle of a paint brush between said arms with the brush extending generally along the axis of rotation of the chuck engaging means including means to pass through an opening in the handle of the brush, whereby paint brushes having various handle thickness can be received and rotated for cleaning.

'2. The device of claim 1, wherein there are a pair of spaced apertures on each arm, and wherein one of said apertures in each arm is an elongated slot, and wherein there are two bolts extending to pass through said handle.

3. The device of claim I, wherein each of said arms is tapered at the end thereof for easy access to the opening of a roller.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said arms are defined by first and second members and wherein said first and second members each include lateral extension means extending transversely to the axis of rotation, said extension means having slot means slidably engaging said chuck engaging means, and wherein said extension means are slidably interconnected.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said members include obliquely extending portions connecting said arms and said lateral extensions, whereby to provide a space for said chuck engaging means.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said chuck engaging means includes threaded bolt means disposed to be secured in the chuck of a drill, and wherein said slots of said extensions slidably engage said bolt means, and a nut is threaded on said bolt means disposed to lock said arms in any selected position of adjustment.

7. The device of claim 1 further characterized by pointer means disposed to indicate the center of rotation of the device, whereby the arms can be adjusted to secure the paint brush centered.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner I. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

